Container flow divider apparatus

ABSTRACT

Container handling apparatus for dividing a single stream of containers moving at high speed into two slower moving streams by means which alternately diverts containers to one of the slower conveyors and passes containers to another of the slower conveyors so that there is no loss in the speed of handling the containers and the single high-speed stream is effectively reduced to streams moving at more moderate speeds to match the operating speeds of processing machinery. The apparatus includes means to effect the container diverting so that the chances of blocking the single high-speed stream is substantially avoided.

United States Patent [7 21 Inventor Momir Babunovic Des Peres, Mo.

[21] Appl. No. 797,406

[22] Filed Feb. 7, 1969 [45] Patented Mar. 30,1971

[73] Assignee Barry-Wehmiller Company St. Louis, Mo.

[54] CONTAINER FLOW DIVIDER APPARATUS 9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl. 198/31, 198/22, 198/25 [51] Int. Cl B65g 47/30 [50] Field ofSearch l98/3l.1 (A), 22, 22 (AB), 25

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,827,998 3/1958 Breeback l98/25X 3,014,574 12/1961 Nussbaum l98/3l.( A1X) 3,378,129 4/1968 Mencacci..... l98/3l(Al) 3,441,120 4/1969 McGill l98/3l(Al) Primary Examiner-Albert J. Makay Attorney-Gravely, Lieder & Woodruff ABSTRACT: Container handling apparatus for dividing a single stream of containers moving at high speed into two slower moving streams by means which alternately diverts containers to one of the slower conveyors and passes containers to another of the slower conveyors so that there is no loss in the speed of handling the containers and the single high-speed stream is effectively reduced to streams moving at more moderate speeds to match the operating speeds of processing machinery. The apparatus includes means to effect the container diverting so that the chances of blocking the single highspeed stream is substantially avoided.

Patented -March 30, 1971 I 3,512,493

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 hi l 5N7? MOM/R BA BUN 0 VIC FIG. 2. aiwgfl r9 TfOIP/VE VJ Patented March 30, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mum/rm MOM/R BA BU/VO V/C IIIE'EX CUNTANIEER FLOW IDIVKIDER APIPTUS This invention relates to apparatus for moving containers at high speed from a single stream into separate streams, and is particularly concerned with means to assure the desired diversion of containers from the single stream.

The subject matter of this invention is an improvement over the apparatus disclosed in my prior application, Ser. No. 706,556,filed Feb. 19, l968,now US. Pat. No. 3,517,794 granted Jun. 30, I970. In this invention a smooth shock free diversion of a single stream of containers into two lesser speed or slower streams is achieved with improved means moving in sequence with the containers so that the advantages of highspeed movement can be carried through the station or zone where diversion of the single stream occurs. The problem of handling frangible containers at speeds in excess of a rate of the order of 1,200 containers per minute is that there is a marked increase in the breakage due to impact of containers with the conveying apparatus. Contining the containers to separate pockets and incorporating a rotary diverter in association with pocketed conveyor apparatus has greatly reduced breakage losses and has extended the upper limits of the speed of moving containers. While the main usage of the present apparatus is for dividing the flow of containers in a highs-peed stream into two slower moving streams, it is recognized that the apparatus may be operated in a reverse direction to combine the flow of two streams into one principal stream.

The objects, therefore, of this invention are to provide the above character of container conveying apparatus in a form that is simple to manufacture and apply, and to provide means of yieldable nature to damp the shock etfect while handling frangible containers between an established flow direction and a desired different direction.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be set forth hereinafter in connection with the following description of certain preferred apparatus disclosed in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. l is a fragmentary plan view of a conveyor assembly moving a single high-speed stream of containers into a zone where the single stream is diverted into two streams;

FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged perspective view of a portion of the assembly shown in FIG. I, showing the means to effect the diversion of containers;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a portion of a conveyor assembly embodying a modification over the assembly seen in FIG. ll.

In FIGS. ll, 2 and 3 there can be seen a conveyor assembly which includes a first conveyor 9 comprising a series of side open pockets 110 connected by suitable brackets II to a conveyor chain 112 having the sprocket wheel W. The pockets 10 on the delivery reach of the conveyor 9 move over a grid of bars 113 and convey the containers C on the grid with the aid of suitable guide rail means G. The conveyor pockets 10 through the conveyor chain 12 are caused to travel on sprocket wheel W about the axis of shaft 16 at the end of the travel. The supporting grid bars 13 define a predetermined path of travel of the stream of containers C which extends beyond the sprocket wheel W, and in this arrangement the path is substantially straight and tangentially related to the sprocket W. After the containers C are disposed of in a manner to be set forth, the empty line of side open pockets 10 returns to a starting station where the supply of containers is established from any suitable source.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. l and 3, it can be seen that a second conveyor assembly ll"! comprises a pair of spaced sprocket wheels 13 and I9 revolvable about vertical shafts 20 and 2H for determining a path of travel of side open pockets 22 in a closed circuit which diverges from the path established by the grid bars 13. The pockets 22 move about the arcuate path established by the sprocket wheel l9 and register with every other one of the pockets ll) of the conveyor 9 to be in position to receive the containers and move them over supporting grid bars 23 to a suitable takeoff conveyor 24.

Thus, every other container CO is slid on grid bars 13 and divergent grid bars 23 to the conveyor 26. A suitable guide plate 25 is placed so its apex 26 will be in position to pick up containers CO and hold them in the pockets 22, while guiding the alternate containers CA in the predetermined path established by the bars 113. The latter path is initially defined between the guide plate 25 and rail means 27, and near its outer discharge end by the rail 27 and a rail 28 which extend along the conveyor apparatus 29.

The sprocket wheel W (FIG. 3) is flanked at its top by a rotary control member 30 and at its underside by a substantially duplicate control member 31, both being mounted on the shaft 116 so as to rotate in unison therewith. The members 30 and 3f are located at elevations relative to the plane of the grid bars 113 to be located adjacent the base and shouldered portions of the containers C (FIG. 3). As observed in plan view (FIG. I) the upper rotary member 30 has a plurality of circumferentially spaced lobes 300. Each lobe operatively supports a movable element 32 having a pivot pin 33 carried at the apex of the lobe 30.Each element 32 is formed with a cam face 3d facing generally radially outwardly relative to the axis of shaft 116. An arm 35 is located on each element to abut a stop block 36 fixed on the surface of member 30. An apertured guide 37 of the arm 35 moves over a rod 38 having one end threaded into the block as and its opposite end carries a head 39 so that a compression spring 40 presses against head 39 and the guide 37 to hold the cam face 34 in its most out ward setting. Each element 32 on member 30 is substantially duplicated on member 31 so it will not be necessary to repeat the foregoing description.

In the example shown in FIG. I there are six lobes on each member 30 and 31, and the lobes are circumferentially spaced to allow the alternate containers CA to nestle in the recesses 411, while the cam faces 34 are engaged by the other containers CO. The elements 32 provide backup faces 34a which follow up the containers CA, and it is also to be noted that the elements 32 are radially outside the pitch line for conveyor 9 so that engagement of the cam faces 34 with every other one of the containers is assured.

The alternate containers CA not diverted to conveyor 17 (FIG. I) pass on toward a general conveyor 29 where they are registered with a conveyor 42 comprising spaced sprocket wheels 43 and 44 about which a conveyor chain is moved. The chain carries a plurality of pockets d5 which successively register with the pockets I0 of conveyor 9 at a zone just prior to the pockets 10 being carried away from the grid bars 13. The pockets 45 thereby take over control of the alternate containers CA in cooperation with the side rail 27 so that the containers are maintained in separate pockets until it is time to pass them onto the general conveyor 29. Sprocket 43 of conveyor 42 is mounted on a suitable idler shaft 46 and shaft 47 carries the cooperating sprocket M.

A suitable prime mover (not shown) is connnected to shaft 16, and from that shaft a takeoff drive schematically shown at 48 operates shaft 47 of the conveyor 42. Another shaft schematically shown at 49 drives shaft 20 of conveyor 17. Thus,

the conveyors 9, I7 and d2 are interconnected to be driven at predetermined speeds that will result in containers being passed into the control of conveyors l7 and 42 fast enough to maintain the respective pockets 22 and 435 filled. Thus, conveyor 9 will normally operate at about twice the speed of conveyors l7 and 42. In actual practice conveyor 9 has been operated at speedscapable of moving 1,400 to 2,000 containers per minute or more.

The operation of the above-described apparatus may be understood from the view of FIG. I. In that view it can be ap preciated that the control member 30 rotates in a clockwise direction and the container conveyor 9 brings the containers in from the right. Simultaneously, conveyor 17 is driven in counterclockwise direction so that the pockets 22 move in an arcuate path about the axis of shaft 21. The action of the apparatus (FIG. l) is such that container CA-I is carried in its side open pocket It) between a pair of lobes 30a, and the adjacent margin of guide 25 beginning at the guide apex 26. Previous to container CA-l reaching its position, container CO-ll had been passed from the empty pocket in advance of the container CA-l into pocket 22 by the action of the cam element 32 on the lobe 300 which leads the container CA-l. The next container CO-2 is shown being passed by the cam element 32 on lobe 32a from pocket 10 of conveyor 9 into pocket 22 of conveyor 17. At this zone of action of conveyors 9 and 17 it can be seen that the next container CA-2 is maintained in its pocket 10 by the trailing surface of the pocket 22 receiving container CO-2. At the same time the leading surface of the next arriving empty pocket 22 is moving in its arcuate path to begin registration with pocket 10 which brings container CO-3 into the zone of action. Also, the action which takes place includes the movement of lobe 30a angularly across the line of travel (and with the movement) of container CO-2 such that the cam face 34 on the element 32 engages the container CO-2 and presses it toward pocket 22. The spring 40 causes the element 32 to maintain contact until the container CO-2 passes into the space at the lower side of the apex 26 of guide 25. Since each lobe 30a moves angularly across the line of travel of every other one of the pockets 10 for conveyor 9, the ensuing encounter with the containers is cushioned by the springs 40 for the cam elements 32 carried on each lobe.

At the high speeds of operation the encounter of the lobes 30a with the containers can develop a shocking blow, but the use of resilient cam elements 32 has effectively overcome the problem and produces a smooth diversion of every other one of the containers to conveyor 17. While the speed of conveyor 9 can be of a very high order, in terms of containers moved per unit of time, the conveyor 17 needs only to be one-half of the speed as every other container is transferred while the alternate containers CA continue on to the conveyor 42 which operates at a rate to handle the flow of containers CA.

In FIG. 4 a modified assembly is shown. Where the parts and elements shown in FIG. 4 that are the same as that shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 will be pointed out with the same reference numerals. The modified assembly provides a path for the incoming containers on the grid bars 13 along the guide rail G. The grid bars 13 are interrupted by a rotating carrier plate 50 driven by shaft 21 of conveyor 17. The plate 50 supports the containers CO and CA with containers CA passing on to a short section of grid bars 13a which follow the circular trend of the conveyor pockets 11. However, containers on grid bars 13a pass onto a second rotating corner plate 51 driven with shaft 47 of conveyor 42. Containers CA on plate 51 are removed by a guide rail 52 which directs the containers onto the general conveyor 29 with the assistance of a second guide rail 28.

The assembly of HO. 4 is suitable for conveyor systems in which rotary corner plates are preferred, but in meeting these devices it is necessary to allow the containers to follow a small arcuate path of the conveyor 9, rather than to describe a substantially straight path as in the system of FIG. 1.

The above description has concerned itself with flow dividing. However, as is recognized in FIG. 1 by operating the apparatus in reverse the cam elements 32 are to keep the containers in proper spaced relation to flow smoothly into the pockets 10 of conveyor 9. It is also understood that containers brought into conveyor 9 from conveyor 17 are engaged with the cam face 34 (FIG. 2) in a shock-free manner, while the cam face 34A acts to prevent the alternate containers from crowding in too closely.

lclaim:

1. Container handling apparatus for moving containers comprising a first conveyor providing a container path of movement of linear direction and having a series of side open pockets movable in said linear direction; a second conveyor providing a container path of movement of curvilinear direction located adjacent said first conveyor linear path and having a series of side open pockets movable in said curvilinear direction, the pockets moving in said curvilinear direction being spaced apart such that the pockets and the spaces between pockets move into substantial registration with alternate ones of said pockets moving in said linear direction; and container handling means adjacent said conveyors comprising a rotatable member having circumferentially spaced lobes and recesses, and container control elements operably mounted on said spaced lobes and resiliently urged in a direction to transfer the containers between alternate pockets of said first conveyor and each pocket of said second conveyor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said side open pockets of said first conveyor are symmetrically aligned and juxtaposed for stabilizing the movement of the pockets in the linear direction.

3. Container handling apparatus comprising first conveying means for advancing a row of containers along a predetermined path, side open pockets on said first conveying means to separate the containers, a second container moving conveyor having side open pockets and defining a path of movement a portion of which is nonlinear so as to move adjacent a portion of said predetermined path of said first conveyor and bring said second conveyor side open pockets into momentary registration with every other one of the side open pockets of said first conveyor to form substantially complete cages for containers between said registered side open pockets, the alternate pockets of said first conveyor registering with the spaces between two adjacent pockets of said second conveyor to form substantially complete cages for container between said three adjacent pockets, and container transfer handling means operably mounted adjacent said first conveyor and substantially opposite said nonlinear path of said second conveyor, said handling means including a rotating body formed with peripheral recesses circumferentially spaced between body lobes which project toward the spaces between two adjacent pockets of said second conveyor, cam elements movably mounted on said body lobes, and means yieldably positioning said cam elements to engage the containers caged by said registered side open pockets.

4. Container flow regulating means for high-speed container conveying apparatus including:

first means to support containers;

first means to move the containers over said first support; second means to support containers located substantially in the plane of said first means and directed along a path divergent relative to said first support;

second means to move the containers over said second support; and container flow control means movable adjacent the junction of said first and second support means comprising a cam wheel having spaced lobes thereon to receive containers between lobes for flow along said first support means, and yieldable elements operably carried by each lobe to intercept containers coinciding with said lobes and direct the containers into flow selectively along said first and second support means.

5. In container handling apparatus:

a first conveyor providing a linear path of movement,

laterally open pockets on said first conveyor;

a pair of second conveyors each having a circular end portion adjacent the linear path of movement of said first conveyor, laterally open pockets on each of said second conveyors movable thereby about said circular end portion into and out of registration with alternate ones of said pockets on said first conveyor;

power means driving said conveyors in coordinated relation such that one of said second conveyors handles containers selectively into and out of alternate pockets on said first conveyor and the other of said second conveyors handles containers selectively into and out of the remaining alternate pockets on said first conveyor;

and container transfer handling means operably mounted adjacent said first conveyor and substantially opposite the circularly path of one of said conveyor, said handling means including a rotating body formed with peripheral recesses circumferentially spaced between body lobes which project toward said one of said second conveyors, cam elements mounted on said body lobes, and means yieldably positioning said cam element relative to said body lobes to engage the containers caged by said registered side open pockets.

6. The container handling apparatus set forth in claim 5 wherein said control means and said one of said pair of second conveyors is positioned upstream relative to the remaining second conveyor upon the handling of containers from said first conveyor to said pair of second conveyors.

7. The container handling apparatus set forth in claim 5 wherein a full complement of containers in said pockets of said first conveyor is equal to a full complement of containers in each of said pockets of said pair of second containers.

8, The container handling apparatus set forth in claim 6 wherein said cam surfaces cooperate with successive pockets of said last-mentioned one of said pair of second conveyors to engage containers in such pockets.

9. The container handling apparatus set forth in claim 5 wherein said control means is a rotary member having said recesses and cam surfaces spaced about the periphery thereof in alternate relation, and said cam surfaces about the periphery thereof in alternate relation, and said cam move substantially tangentially of the path of travel of the pockets of said last-mentioned one of said pair of second conveyors.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent 3,572,493 Dated March 30, 1971 I Momir Babunovic It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

' Column 6, line 9, delete the last two words of the line "about the" Column 6, linelO, delete the following at the beginning of line 10: "periphery thereof in alternate relatiol said cam" Signed and sealed this 20th day of July 1971.

(SEAL) Attest:

WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,J'R.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

1. Container handling apparatus for moving containers comprising a first conveyor providing a container path of movement of linear direction and having a series of side open pockets movable in said linear direction; a second conveyor providing a container path of movement of curvilinear direction located adjacent said first conveyor linear path and having a series of side open pockets movable in said curvilinear direction, the pockets moving in said curvilinear direction being spaced apart such that the pockets and the spaces between pockets move into substantial registration with alternate ones of said pockets moving in said linear direction; and container handling means adjacent said conveyors comprising a rotatable member having circumferentially spaced lobes and recesses, and container control elements operably mounted on said spaced lobes and resiliently urged in a direction to transfer the containers between alternate pockets of said first conveyor and each pocket of said second conveyor.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said side open pockets of said first conveyor are symmetrically aligned and juxtaposed for stabilizing the movement of the pockets in the linear direction.
 3. Container handling apparatus comprising first conveying means for advancing a row of containers along a predetermined path, side open pockets on said first conveying means to separate the containers, a second container moving conveyor having side open pockets and defining a path of movement a portion of which is nonlinear so as to move adjacent a portion of said predetermined path of said first conveyor and bring said second conveyor side open pockets into momentary registration with every other one of the side open pockets of said first conveyor to form substantially complete cages for containers between said registered side open pockets, the alternate pockets of said first conveyor registering with the spaces between two adjacent pockets of said second conveyor to form substantially complete cages for container between said three adjacent pockets, and container transfer handling means operably mounted adjacent said first conveyor and substantially opposite said nonlinear path of said second conveyor, said handling means including a rotating body formed with peripheral recesses circumferentially spaced between body lobes which project toward the spaces between two adjacent pockets of said second conveyor, cam elements movably mounted on said body lobes, and means yieldably positioning said cam elements to engage the containers caged by said registered side open pockets.
 4. Container flow regulating means for high-speed container conveying apparatus including: first means to support containers; first means to move the containers over said first support; second means to support containers located substantially in the plane of said first means and directed along a path divergent relative to said first support; second means to move the containers over said second support; and container flow control means movable adjacent the junction of said first and second support means comprising a cam wheel having spaced lobes thereon to receive containers between lobes for flow along said first support means, and yieldable elements operably carried by each lobe to intercept containers coinciding with said lobes and direct the containers into flow selectively along said first and second support means.
 5. In container handling apparatus: a first conveyor providing a linear path of movement, laterally open pockets on said first conveyor; a pair of second conveyors each having a circular end portion adjacent the linear path of movement of said first conveyor, laterally open pockets on each of said second conveyors movable thereby about said circular end portion into and out of registration with alternate ones of said pockets on said first conveyor; power means driving said conveyors in coordinated relation such that one of said second conveyors handles containers selectively into and out of alternate pockets on said first conveyor and the other of said second conveyors handles containers selectively into and out of the remaining alternate pockets on said first conveyor; and container transfer handling means operably mounted adjacent said first conveyor and substantially opposite the circularly path of one of said conveyor, said handling means including a rotating body formed with peripheral recesses circumferentially spaced between body lobes which project toward said one of said second conveyors, cam elements mounted on said body lobes, and means yieldably positioning said cam element relative to said body lobes to engage the containers caged by said registered side open pockets.
 6. The container handling apparatus set forth in claim 5 wherein said control means and said one of said pair of second conveyors is positioned upstream relative to the remaining second conveyor upon the handling of containers from said first conveyor to said pair of second conveyors.
 7. The container handling apparatus set forth in claim 5 wherein a full complement of containers in said pockets of said first conveyor is equal to a full complement of containers in each of said pockets of said pair of second containers.
 8. The container handling apparatus set forth in claim 6 wherein said cam surfaces cooperate with successive pockets of said last-mentioned one of said pair of second conveyors to engage containers in such pockets.
 9. The container handling apparatus set forth in claim 5 wherein said control means is a rotary member having said recesses and cam surfaces spaced about the periphery thereof in alternate relation, and said cam surfaces about the periphery thereof in alternate relation, and said cam move substantially tangentially of the path of travel of the pockets of said last-mentioned one of said pair of second conveyors. 